This blog is the main news page of Lookonline.com the longest running fashion site online since 1994.

Tuesday, June 01, 2004

Class Act:

--Trends may come and go, and styles and looks may be subjected to fashion's ever swaying highly schizophrenic pendulum, but there is no question that some things are forever enduring and will NEVER lose their appeal.

Case in point, the ever chic and always modern vocabulary that was originally at the heart of Yves St. Laurent's street wise philosophy. There is a reason classic 'staples' like the trench coat, pea jacket, safari suit, tuxedo, and the perfectly tailored pant suit are still viewed as the most important foundations of a smart woman's wardrobe and are the items that are constantly being 'reinvented' by designers - both young and old. Taking over where Tom Ford left off is Stefano Pilati, the relatively unknown Milanese who worked with Tom at the Gucci Group and according to WWD, "together, they carved a new direction and image for Saint Laurent."

Pilati's new vision just happens to be WWD's cover story today, and based on several pictures shown, along with an accompaning profile and interview, it looks as if he should have nothing short of a hit on his hands. I don't know about you, but after seeing months and months of overtly 'feminine' cloyingly saccharin sweet flirty designs, pastels, florals, piles and piles of jewelry and accessories, nothing looks better than the somewhat utilitarian, straight forward, refreshingly masculine
and polished clothes, rendered in chic neutrals. The large canvas bags with rope handles, high heeled rope soled espadrilles, and sturdy yet sexy round toes high heeled pumps are signature St. Laurent, and the resulting effect is one where the customer always looks smart, chic, refined, modern, intelligent, serious, and ready to face the world. These are not 'objectifyingly' or overtly sexy, overly self conscious, in your face, over the top designs. To me, this is the most modern look of all.

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About Me

Name: Ernest Schmatolla

Location: New York City

I publish Lookonline.com first as a BBS in 1993, and then on the Internet full time since early 1995. Lookonline is the longest publishing online fashion site in the world. Before launching the site, I was for many years a New York fashion photographer. Marilyn Kirschner is Lookonline.com's Editor-in-Chief and she is a former long time senior editor at Harpers Bazaar.